


Let Us Take Care Of You

by iwasnthere622



Category: Power Rangers (2017)
Genre: Acceptance, Alcohol, Anxiety, Biromantic Jason Scott, Biromantic Kimberly Hart, Bisexual Jason Lee Scott, Bisexual Kimberly Hart, Claustrophobia, Coming Out, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dating, Drinking, Drunkenness, Embarrassment, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, Love, Meeting the Parents, Multi, Panromantic Zack Taylor, Pansexual Zack Taylor, Polyamory, Sick Character, Underage Drinking, money issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-14
Updated: 2017-08-15
Packaged: 2018-12-15 02:09:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11796234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iwasnthere622/pseuds/iwasnthere622
Summary: Zack is so used to taking care of the ones he loves that he has a hard time letting them take care of him in return.





	1. Chapter 1

"C'mon, mom, please try," Zack begged softly, feeling like he was seconds from breaking down. It was day two of two awful days -- his mom had some kind of stomach bug, which with how weakened her body already was and how hard it was for her to eat enough calories each day, was not good.

 

She'd been sick pretty much every few hours for the past day and a half -- it finally seemed to stop, and he was desperate to get something into her system. The last thing she needed was to get dehydrated on top of everything else.

 

He carefully spoon-fed her the soup he'd made, but she was barely able to finish a quarter of the bowl before she was turning her head away.

 

"Mom..." Zack said, worry and fear clenching his heart, setting the bowl aside and tucking her in, making sure she was comfortable.

 

He did some cleanup and then returned to her room, sitting at the end of the bed and just watching her sleep. He checked his phone, seeing the few messages of support, again feeling a wave of gratefulness to Trini.

 

As soon as he'd told his best friend why he'd be skipping school and all team meetings for the next few days, she immediately made sure to make it clear to everyone else that unless Zack asked for something, they were to leave him alone and not show up at his place.

 

This was... too private, even to share with his signifs, and Zack knew the only reason Jason and Kim hadn't come over to try to help was because of Trini.

 

He loved them -- Trini and Billy, too, in a different way -- but his mom was his entire world, and it was hard to share her vulnerabilities with anyone else.

 

When his mom started coughing, he hurried to help her sit up, reaching for the bucket but praying she wouldn't be sick, rubbing her back soothingly.

 

He helped her take a drink when the fit subsided, grateful she hadn't thrown up the soup, helping her lay back down to keep resting.

 

"You should go to school," she chided gently.

 

Zack shook his head. "I'll go when you're better," he promised, squeezing her hand lightly.

 

It took another two days before she had enough strength to really sit up and feed herself, her appetite small and stomach a bit rocky, but she was keeping things down now, so Zack hoped the worst was past them.

 

After dinner that night -- more soup, but she'd managed nearly a full bowl this time -- Zack gave her her medicine and tucked her in, waiting for her to fall asleep before kissing her forehead and leaving her room.

 

He pulled on his jacket, double checking she had everything she could want in her reach, and slipped out of the trailer.

 

Being cooped up in there for the week, with all that worry and fear, made him feel almost dizzy when he was finally outside again, taking a deep breath. It was twilight, the sun setting, and the buzzing anxiety in his skin finally felt like it was easing with each step away from the trailer he took.

 

Of course, each step made his guilt grow, because he shouldn't feel relieved at getting away from his mom -- she needed him, he loved her -- and he walked to his train car trying to just stop _thinking_.

 

He reached into the abandoned train car and pulled out his stashed bag, pulling out several beer bottles.

 

He had enough presence of mind to text Trini that his mom was better now, knowing she'd worry and he owed her at least the update, before he jumped up to the top of the car to star gaze for a while and drink and breathe the fresh air, the feeling of claustrophobia the trailer always gave him faded away.

 

He'd already finished his first beer when Jason texted him, saying he was glad his mom was feeling better. Zack grinned because that was nice of him, sending him a string of happy faces and then less appropriate emojis.

 

Then Kim texted him asking if he was okay, and Zack sent her the same message because wow, his signifs were adorable, letting them both know he was celebrating at his train car if they wanted to come visit.

 

He'd finished his third beer, and was taking the first sip of the fourth, when they arrived.

 

"Hey!" he said happily, sitting up and wobbling a bit, just able to see them in the darkness thanks to the moonlight.

 

"Hey," Jason responded, walking up to the train car with Kim.

 

Zack grinned, jumping down for the top of the car and stumbling, laughing when Jason and Kim both rushed to steady him.

 

"I missed you guys," Zack said leaning into them.

 

"We missed you, too," Kim said, sharing a look with Jason.

 

"Zack... are you drunk?" Jason asked. He definitely smelled like alcohol.

 

Zack thought about it. "Yup," he decided, grinning.

 

"Why are you drunk?" Jason sighed, shifting to support more of Zack's weight, unable to keep the disappointment from his voice.

 

"Aw, Jase, it's fine," Zack said, reaching up to pat at Jason's cheek. "'M celebrating!"

 

"Mm, we can see that," Kim said, amused but also worried. "Your mom is doing better?"

 

Zack's smile fell for a minute, sadness overtaking him before he turned to smile at Kim. "Yup, still breathing and the throwing up has stopped. Which is good cause it was gross."

 

"...That's great, Zack," Jason said, sharing another look with Kim. Zack was so drunk...

 

"C'mon, it's pretty late... why don't Jase and I walk you home?" Kim suggested, but Zack shook his head, stumbling as that made the world spin, leaning more heavily into Jason.

 

"Nah, Kim. Not going home tonight," Zack said. "Can't."

 

"Can't?" Jason echoed, confused.

 

Zack nodded, swaying. "Finally... finally got out, can't go back yet," he said, rubbing at his chest, guilt dulled by the alcohol.

 

"Zack," Jason sighed.

 

Zack didn't like the sound of that, it sounded like the start of a lecture or even worse, pity, so he shoved away from Jason and slung an arm over Kim instead.

 

Kim caught Zack's weight when he suddenly flung himself at her, steadying them both. "How about we all sleep at my house?"

 

"Ohh, sleepover at Kimmy's!" Zack grinned, nuzzling into her neck.

 

Kim laughed. "You are so drunk, Zack, c'mon. Jase, help me with him."

 

Jason rolled his eyes but he moved over to them, shouldering some of Zack's weight as they started walking.

 

"Wait, we should bring my drink," Zack said, trying to stop moving forward but Kim and Jason kept him moving.

 

"I think you've had enough to drink," Kim said wryly. "You stink."

 

"Rude," Zack grumbled, shifting more into Jason and away from Kim.

 

Jason laughed. "Oh, you like me again?"

 

Zack grinned, kissing any part of Jason he could reach, which meant he was mostly kissing his t-shirt. "Mm," he hummed.

 

Jason chuckled, kissing into Zack's hair fondly while Kim tried to hide her amused smile at the pair of them.

 

Kim and Jason managed to get him into Kim's house without too much trouble. Kim was just grateful her parents were away for work, because while he wasn't exactly yelling, Zack wasn't exactly being quiet, either.

 

"You're room is so _pink_ ," Zack laughed as Kim led him and Jason into her bedroom.

 

"Yes, it is," Kim smiled, easing Zack to sit on the end of her bed with Jason's help.

 

"You staying, too? There's room," Kim offered Jason.

 

Jason hesitated, but Zack reached for his hand. "Cuddle pile?"

 

Jason smiled, giving in. "Sure."

 

Kim tugged Jason into a kiss, smiling at him.

 

"So hot," Zack said, grinning up at the pair of them.

 

"C'mon, let's find some aspirin for you to help with tomorrow, and maybe some mouthwash before bed," Jason said, reaching to pull Zack up and into a stand, supporting him.

 

Kim nodded. "Good idea. I'll find him some sleep clothes."

 

Jason nodded. "I think I've left a few sets here, he can just have one of those."

 

"You're really pretty," Zack said, patting Jason's face and making him laugh.

 

"So are you," Jason promised, helping Zack into the bathroom. He found a spare toothbrush and had Zack brush his teeth and rinse out his mouth, then made him swallow a few aspirin to fight the hangover he'd have tomorrow.

 

Kim came into the room only long enough to hand Jason two pairs of sweatpants, going back to her room to change into her own sleepwear and wait for the boys.

 

"Oooh, are we playing now?" Zack asked, laughing and trying to help Jason get them both naked quicker, fumbling fingers only getting in Jason's way.

 

"No, Zack, it's bedtime," Jason said, blushing a bit when Zack tried to plaster himself to him and started grinding. He pushed him away gently, kissing him quickly so he wouldn't feel rejected. "Cuddle time, remember? With Kim, too."

 

Zack pouted up at Jason, but he brightened up at the mention of Kim, nodding and letting Jason pull on his own sweatpants before helping Zack with his.

 

Jason got Zack dressed and guided him back to Kim's room, laughing when he face planted on the bed before wiggling under the covers and curling into Kim. He climbed into bed after him and curled an arm over him to reach for Kim, too.

 

Kim returned Zack's eager kiss before cuddling more into him. "Okay?"

 

"Yeah," Jason said, settling.

 

"Best signifs ever," Zack mumbled, exhaustion creeping up on him now that he was laying down.

 

Kim rolled her eyes, sharing a fond look with Jason over Zack's head before the three were settling in for the night.


	2. Chapter 2

Zack groaned when Kim's alarm went off, moving his head off of Jason's arm and burying his face in the pillow.

 

Kim fumbled for her phone and turned off the alarm, muffling a yawn and sitting up, reaching over Zack to prod at Jason, who groaned at her.

 

"We have detention," Kim said by way of greeting, agreeing with Jason's string of curses and smiling at his bedhead when he eventually sat up.

 

"Zack?" Jason asked, reaching for him. "How you feeling?"

 

Zack just groaned again, keeping his face buried so his voice was muffled.

 

Kim stood up and walked to her bathroom, returning a few minutes later with some more aspirin.

 

"Here, Zack, take these. You can sleep through detention and we'll bring lunch, okay?" she said, kneeling on the bed next to him.

 

Jason stood and changed into his clothes from yesterday, hoping no one at detention noticed, watching Zack take the pills from Kim with his eyes closed, affection warming his heart at how much they trusted each other and at seeing his girlfriend take care of his boyfriend.

 

"Let's get donuts on the way," he said to Kim, chuckling when Zack proceeded to bury himself in Kim's bed once he'd swallowed the pills.

 

"Good idea," Kim said, leaning to kiss Zack's forehead before she moved away from the bed to change and get ready to leave.

 

"Feel better," Jason said to Zack, leaning down to kiss him, too.

 

Zack appreciated that they cared but he really just wanted to sleep, listening to them moving around before it was finally all quiet and they were gone. He relaxed in his blanket cocoon and slept for another few hours before waking with a yawn, pounding in his head mostly gone.

 

He carefully stood up and wandered to the bathroom, using it and splashing some water on his face, borrowing a toothbrush and feeling marginally human again. He frowned down at the too-big sweatpants he was wearing, going back to Kim's room and looking around, eventually finding his own clothes.

 

Too lazy to change, he dug his cell out of the pocket of his jeans and flopped onto the bed again, noting he still had about an hour before the signifs would get out of detention.

 

So to pass the time, he texted Trini. He let her know he'd crashed at Kim's after maybe getting a little drunk, his best friend somehow easily getting it out of him exactly why he'd felt the need to get drunk in the first place.

 

He was so caught up in texting with Trini about his mom and all the complicated feelings that came with being her caretaker that he didn't realize how much time had passed until he heard the front door open.

 

Sending Trini a quick message that his signifs were here and smiling a bit at her emoji eye roll, he sat up just as Jason and Kim walked into the bedroom.

 

"You're awake, that's good. We brought Chinese," Jason said, moving over with Kim to sit on the bed and start handing out containers.

 

"How do you feel?" Kim added, sitting and accepting her container.

 

Zack shrugged. "Little bit of a headache, but otherwise I'm good." He accepted his food, stomach growling.

 

"Good," Jason said, laughing when Zack's stomach growled, digging in to his own food, the three falling into an easy silence as they ate.

 

"How was detention?" Zack asked when they were mostly done and just picking at each other's containers.

 

Kim shrugged. "Detention-like."

 

Jason snorted, bumping into her.

 

Zack laughed, glancing between them. "Thanks for last night," he said after a beat.

 

"Of course, you can always sleep over," Kim said immediately.

 

Zack nodded, grateful.

 

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Jason asked softly, studying Zack carefully.

 

Zack's default was to say no, laugh it off, divert attention, but he hesitated instead, because Trini said that Kim and Jason had been driving her crazy all week wanting news about Zack, trying to give him the space he'd asked for while also worrying themselves into a panic.

 

"Not... not really," Zack said, watching Jason nod and disappointment cross his face before he could tamp it down, Kim looking away completely, and he sighed.

 

"Look, it's not that I don't -- I mean, you guys _know_ I trust you, right?" Zack said.

 

"Of course," Jason said immediately, Kim echoing him. "We just want to be there for you."

 

"We want to help," Kim added earnestly.

 

Zack smiled a bit, shaking his head. "I know, and that's kinda why I don't wanna talk about it." At their confused looks, he continued, trying to make his words make sense. "Look, you both are great. Amazing. You're really good people, who try to help everyone that you can, and I know you want to help me with this, too. But you don't... you just don't _get_ it, sometimes."

 

"And Trini does?" Kim guessed, trying not to sound bitter.

 

"Yeah," Zack answered bluntly, watching Kim flinch and Jason reach out for her, not wanting to have this conversation but apparently they were, so. "Yeah, she does, mostly. You and Jase, you've always had friends. You've always had your parents, you have whatever you want. You guys have never worried about anything except your school lives. Trini, her family is a bit messed up, so she gets some of it, and she's a loner so she definitely gets the part about it being so hard to just open up to others."

 

Zack took a breath, shaking his head. "But she doesn't quite get it all, either. None of you understand what it's like to be the person responsible for keeping the roof over your head or food on the table or your mom alive for just another day... I've been taking care of my mom since I was 13. In your life, you want to go out for Chinese, you just go. Your parents give you money and you get what you want and you don't have to worry about having a bed to go home to at night. If I want Chinese, I have to take an extra shift cause we don't get enough money for all the bills and the meds my mom needs as is it, so first shift pays for the roof and the food and the pills, and if I want anything else, I gotta work a double."

 

"Zack..." Jason tried, reaching for him. "We could help--"

 

"I don't want your money," Zack said, meeting their eyes. "I can -- I do this myself."

 

"It's not pity, Zack, it's _not_ , you're our boyfriend, you're our _friend_ , we just want to help," Kim protested.

 

"I know, Kim, I do. But this is my responsibility. I can't -- if something happens, if we break up, and I've been depending on you... what if I can't get another job, what if my mom suffers because of it? I can't risk that, I can't risk her," Zack said, trying to explain.

 

"We won't break up," Jason said firmly, in his leader voice, making Zack automatically sit up a little straighter, making it that much easier to believe him. "And even if we did, we wouldn't just abandon you. You were our friend first, and you always will be, regardless if we date."

 

Zack blew out a slow breath, glancing at Kim. "Damn, we give him so much shit but then he gives a speech like that and it's just..."

 

"A punch to the gut," Kim finished, smiling a bit.

 

Jason glanced between them a bit confused and Zack shook his head. "You were made to be a leader, Red."

 

"I meant what I said," Jason said firmly, earnestly.

 

"Yeah, I know," Zack said, pressing forward to kiss him, kissing Kim afterwards. "It's just hard to share her, you know? She's all I got, and she's... not doing so good."

 

"Zack," Kim said, tugging him to them, both of them settling him across their laps, held close.

 

"Is that why you couldn't go home?" Jason asked softly, hitting the mark straight on, as always.

 

Zack nodded, closing his eyes and just leaning into them. "Yeah. When she has bad spells like this... the walls just close in on us. She needs me so much but it's just so _hard_ sometimes, I feel so... so _helpless_ in that trailer, I can't stand it."

 

"You have us," Kim said firmly, squeezing her arm around him.

 

"We can help... let us help," Jason said. "We'd come be with you whenever you called, you know that."

 

"And we can have more fun than you can alone with some beer," Kim added.

 

Zack chuckled, curling closer to them, one hand gripping Jason's shirt, the other on Kim's thigh, leaning into Jason's hand in his hair and Kim's hand rubbing his back.

 

"You work so hard to take care of her," Jason said. "You take care of all of us, all the time -- you help Billy with his projects and give Trini the shoulder to lean on that she needs, you go on adventures with Kim so that she can show off her happiness... you come with me when I do runs around town just to make sure everyone is okay so that you can make sure _I'm_ okay... you do so much, let us take care of _you_."

 

"Seriously," Zack said, voice cracking. "With the speeches. Killing me, Red."

 

Jason slid his hand from Zack's hair to cup his cheek, meeting his eyes. "I love you."

 

Zack sucked in a sharp breath, studying Jason's face and smiling shyly. He turned his head when Kim's hand pressed at Jason's on his face.

 

"I love you, Zack," Kim said, smiling at him.

 

Zack felt a bit overwhelmed, smiling at both of them. He leaned into Kim, kissing her and pouring as much as he could into it, breaking the kiss so he could turn back to Jason and kiss him just as hard.

 

"I love you," he said, turning to them both. "I love you."

 

Jason's grin lit up his face and Kim laughed breathlessly and Zack's heart felt like it was going to burst, the three falling into easy kisses, holding each other.


	3. Chapter 3

Eventually, Zack had to go home to check on his mom and Jason had to check in with his parents, the boys kissing Kim goodbye before kissing each other and heading out.

 

Zack'd changed into his clothes from the night before, running home and checking on his mom. She was sleeping, but the tray of crackers by her bedside was empty and her two glasses of water nearly so, guilt settling heavier in Zack for leaving her alone for so long. At least she'd also managed to take her pills, the little cup for them empty on the tray.

 

He cleaned up and got her fresh water, making her tea and leaving that for her as well, setting more crackers out along with her nighttime medications.

 

Only once he was sure she was set did he go to his room to grab fresh clothes, moving to the tiny bathroom to shower quickly and change. He finished up and moved back to his room, laying on his bed and missing Kim's comfy queen mattress, pulling out his phone to watch some vids while he waited for his mom to wake up so he could make her something more substantial than crackers, mentally going over which soups they had left.

 

He startled at the knock on the door, frowning and pocketing his phone, moving over to the door quickly. He opened it and just stared.

 

Kim was standing directly in front of the door, at least a dozen shopping bags slung onto each of her arms. Jason was standing just behind her, holding two cases of water, a case of variety tea, and a case of flavored waters.

 

"We want to help," Kim said firmly, as if she expected him to turn them away.

 

Zack stared, belatedly noticing a few of his "neighbors" staring as well, probably because Kim and Jason were holding more than was really humanly possible. That realization jolted him into stepping back and waving a hand to get them inside.

 

Kim smiled at him, entering the trailer and squeezing around him to put bags on the floor of the kitchen, immediately beginning to take items out and start sorting.

 

Jason entered behind her, standing patiently while Zack closed the door behind him.

 

"Where do you want these?" Jason asked when Zack didn't move or say anything.

 

"Um. Right. Closet," he said, moving down the skinny hallway and pulling open a closet door, quickly shoving shoe boxes into a tower in order to make space, Jason setting his load down and helping him make everything fit.

 

"You guys really didn't have to do this," Zack said a bit helplessly when they were done and standing again, closing the closet door.

 

Jason put a hand on Zack's shoulder and squeezed. "We love you," he said softly. "We want to take care of you, and this is one way that we can."

 

Zack blew out a breath and swallowed his pride, nodding. Okay.

 

Jason squeezed, offering him a small smile before leading the way to the kitchen, where Kim was making piles of everything they'd bought.

 

There were crackers, but also cookies and pretzels and popcorn and granola bars. At least a dozen different kinds of premade soups and stews lined the counter. Frozen meals of a wide range were stacked into a neat tower, and there were at least three whole rotisserie chickens on the table. There were also bags of fresh veggies and fruits, real ones, which Kim was working to separate into sealable baggies.

 

"Kim..." Zack said, not sure there'd ever been this much food in his fridge.

 

"You can freeze a lot of this," Kim said. "And we bought mostly non-perishables, so this should be able to last a bit without you having to skip meals."

 

"I--"

 

"Most of this is considered light food, easy on the stomach, but it's high in proteins and calories and vitamins, so it'll be good for your mom," Jason continued. "And the flavored waters should be good for her, too, to keep hydration up -- I drank them after practice all the time."

 

Zack honestly didn't know what to say, thank you just didn't seem like enough but it was all he had. "Thank you."

 

Kim and Jason both smiled at him.

 

Before anyone could say anything else, Zack's mom called out for him. Zack shot his signifs an apologetic glance, moving down the hall to the back of the trailer and going into his mom's room.

 

"I heard voices," his mom said in Mandarin, struggling to sit up, Zack rushing over to help her.

 

"My friends are here," Zack said. "I'm sorry if we woke you, I'll tell them to leave."

 

Zack's mom waved a hand. "No, it's fine. Did you offer them something to drink, eat?"

 

"No, they uh... they actually brought us some stuff. Food, and drinks," Zack said, flushing a little in embarrassment.

 

"Zack... your friends must care about you," Zack's mom said softly, embarrassed to need their charity but grateful there were others who were looking out for her son.

 

"They do," Zack said, meeting her eyes. "They're actually, um, more than friends, we're dating."

 

"You love them," Zack's mom said, it not a question.

 

Zack ducked his head, nodding. "Yeah..."

 

"Well, tell them to come in here, then. I want to meet your girlfriends," his mom said firmly.

 

Zack rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah, actually, one is a girl. Kim. But the other is a boy, Jason. We are all dating each other."

 

"Zack... you have always had such a big heart," his mom said, smiling softly at him. "Bring them in."

 

Zack grinned, relief flooding him, nodding and hurrying back out.

 

"Uh, my mom's up, and she wants to meet you guys," Zack said, glancing at them both. "She knows that we're dating. Us three, together."

 

"Is she okay with it?" Kim asked.

 

Zack nodded. "Yeah, I told you. My mom is the best," he said, smiling softly.

 

"We'd love to meet her," Jason smiled, following Zack and Kim down the hall.

 

"Mom? This is Kim, and this is Jason," Zack said, introducing them in Mandarin, moving to sit on the edge of his mom's bed so there was more room for Kim and Jason to stand next to her.

 

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Zack brags about you a lot," Kim said, smiling.

 

Zack flushed a bit, translating for his mom.

 

"It is nice to meet you," Zack's mom said in accented English. "You are all..." she trailed off, looking at Zack for the word.

 

"Dating?" Zack supplied in Mandarin, watching her nod and repeating the word in English.

 

"Yes, we are," Jason said, taking Kim's hand and reaching for Zack's, too. "We love him."

 

Zack's mom smiled, understanding him enough, watching her son squirm a bit. "Good. Zack is a good boy."

 

"Mom," Zack protested, embarrassed.

 

"Zack is a good boy," Zack's mom repeated, ignoring him. "You... take care. All together."

 

"We will, we'll always take care of him," Kim promised, leaning to riffle Zack's hair and laughing at his huff and gentle smack at her hand.

 

"He takes care of us, too," Jason said, smiling fondly at his slightly-red boyfriend.

 

"Good," Zack's mom said, able to see clearly how much they loved her son and how much he loved them both in return. "Zack says... _they bought food for us? How much?_ " she directed the questions to Zack in Mandarin.

 

Zack answered her in Mandarin, explaining the cases of drinks and bags and food, a little shame filling him at needing the help to take care of his mom.

 

Zack's mom just nodded, knowing Zack didn't have money to pay for what they'd bought, bowing her head instead to Kim and Jason and thanking them in Mandarin.

 

"She's saying thank you, for the food," Zack explained.

 

"You don't have to thank us," Jason said. "We want to help, both of you. You're... family."

 

Kim nodded, reaching out to take Zack's mom's hand gently, smiling.

 

Zack leaned into Jason as he translated, smiling at his mom, and if both Taylors' had brighter eyes for a moment until tears could be blinked away, no one said anything.

 

"You will eat with us," Zack's mom said in English, waving her free hand when Jason and Kim tried to protest. " _I want to get to know the loves of my son's life._ "

 

Zack translated for her, grinning when Kim and Jason blushed a bit and gave in, standing to get chairs for them, to make plates of food, to spend time with his signifs and his mom.


End file.
